Mark twain'S notebook

NOTEBOOK

own child. I simply live in the Sch—it is rny daily bread.
I wouldn't have the question settled for anything in the
world. Especially now that I have lost the "Offentliche
Militargerich" circus. I read all the debates on that ques-
tion with a never-failing interest, but all at once they
sprung a vote on me a couple of days ago and did some-
thing, by vote of 100 to 143, but I couldn't find out what
it was,

Here they recognize two sects, Catholic and Lutheran
(which appear to differ from each other nearly as much
as a red-headed man differs from an auburn-haired man).
These receive State support; and their schools receive
State support. Other sects are taxed to support these sects
and schools, and have to run their own churches and
schools at their own cost. It is infamous.

Just as infamous as it is with us—where no church
property is taxed and so the infidel and the atheist and
the man without religion are taxed to make up the deficit
in the public income thus caused.

I went to church the first Sunday, and on Tuesday came
a tax of twelve marks for church support. I have not been
since. I can't afford religious instruction at that price.
Only the rich can be saved here.

Feb. 20, 1892. Dined at General (lately Lt.-Gen.) von
Versen's.1 Sat at the right hand of the Emperor. His
brother, Prince Heinrich, sat opposite. Prince Radolin
(Chamberlin) further along; fourteen at table; mainly
great military and naval people. Two of my friends be-
sides the von Versens were there. Rottenborg and Rudolph
Lindau, both of the Foreign Office. After dinner, six or
eight officers came in, and all hands adjourned to the big
room out of the smoking-room, and held a "smoking par-

x General von Versen had married a second or third cousin of
Mark Twain.

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